The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-05-07
EQUINE DYSPEPSIA
disorders to Which the Digestive Organs
of the Horse Are Liable.

Dlsorders to Which the Digestive Organs
OF the Horse Are Liable.
hampers is trivial affection. mostly
noticed in young horses about the time
they are changing their first set fol-
permanent teeth. 1t is an active in.
hammation of the lleshy ridges of the
mouth. This causes pain when oats OF
corn is eaten, so that feeding is some
Whatintefered with. Although mostly
noticed in colts, it may appear at any
age in consequence of overlooking.
Some brutal horsemen burn the swollen
ridges with the hot iron, but this is a
barbarous practice and wholly unneces-
Sary. Feeding the animal on soft food
for few days is elfectual. If there ia
any hurry about the cure lancing the
swollen parts rather freely will expe-
dite matters. The affection is noticed
here only that the hot-iron treatment
may be condemned.
Gorged stomach and grain founder
are terms applied to overlooking the
stomach with food that doesn't digest.
1t corresponds to acute Indigestion in
q man. 1t is also called impaction of the
stomach in the horse. Improper food,
or hasty eating of too great a quantity,
particularly when the stomach is
weakened by ovcr-exertion, not chew
ing grain sufficiently, and, in colts, too
early weaving or the drinking of large
amounts of milk that is too cold, are all
OF them common enough causes of the
trouble.
When the digestion is failing the
horse loses appetite or eats dirt and the
like, the hair looks rough, and there
may be slight cough. When an at
tack comes on there are evident signs
OF suffering, the limbs are cold and the
body covered with a cold sweat; the
animal may make attempts at vomit-
ing, but there is only flow of saliva
from the moath. Gas may be expelled
from the stomach, but because of pecu-
Llarities in construction vomiting is i'm
possible to most horses. He lies down,
rolls about and stands up alternately.
He generally stands with his head down
and pressed against some solid support.
Solong as there is simple indigestion,
the more active measures are not re-
quired In colts, the diet should be
changed, and it is a good plan to give
laxative, say a half pint or more of
castor oil, according to age. To older
animals, ball of half an ounce each
OF powdered aloes and ginger, made
up with molasses, may be given. Then
bitter tonic of powdered gentian
root and baking soda, each half an
ounce, with powdered nux vomica,
thirty grains, may be given in the
form of ball, with molasses, twice
day. Good grooming and regulation
OF the quantity and quality of the food
should receive attention. When an at
tack of "gorging" is in progress, eff
forts should be made to give prompt
relief. An injection of morphine one
and one-third grains, under the skin
over the breast-bone, gives the most
speedy relief. A strong purge of half
an ounce of aloes, thirty grains of
calomel and two teaspoonfuls of pow
dered gentian root, made into ball.
should be given at once, and repeated
in forty-eight hours if it does not act
thoroughly.
Some give five drops of tincture of
aconite root, with two ounces sweet
spirits of inter, instead of morphine.
but the latter gives the most prompt
relief. A tonic laxative containing
thirty to sixty grains of aloes, with
gentian, ginger and assafptida, each
sixty grains, made into ball with mo-
lasses, may be given daily for some
weeks if the indigestion seems to con-
tinue after an attack of gorging.
During the attack care must be taken
that the animal does not rupture the
stomach by throwing himself about too
violently. If this accident should hap
pen there is no help for it, death
being inevitable. Collie or "gripes" is.
essentially. a spasmodic contraction of
the muscular coat of the intestine,
caused by the presence of some irri-
tant In itself, it seldom causes death.
but it may mark the beginning of an
inflammation that may have such
termination. Pain is the marked feat
ure of the disease, and it is always in
termittent 1t generally disappears in
few h0urs.-.St. LOmS GloJe-Denlo-
CrGt.